Musings on Facial Hair
by starryjen
Summary: Neela hates facial hair, well, except for a certain goatee which she thinks is kind of sexy.  Definitely M rated.  Set sometime in Series 12.  RayNeela
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own ER. This just appeared in my mind over the weekend, its probably a bit OOC but I hope you enjoy. And, this is most definitely M rated though it won't become apparant until you reach chapter 2.

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**She's never been a great fan of facial hair. She can't see the point in beards, goatees, moustaches or stubble. Beards are for hiding what you don't want to be seen, goatees are much the same but they're for the more vain. Moustaches, a hairy caterpillar crawling across your face, she sees no point in them at all. And stubble, the bane of any girls' world. She prefers her men clean-shaven, no disguises. She likes to feel skin under her fingers not bristles. She likes to kiss a man and not have to worry about tell tale signs the next day. 

She's had many an argument with boyfriends in the past about the presence of facial hair and it was the cause of at least one relationship ending, it sounds drastic she knows but she couldn't deal with it. She's not excessive over it, not by any means, she doesn't expect a man to be shaving constantly and she lets them off with stubble, not designer stubble mind, just normal stubble, five o'clock shadow sort of thing, but the others she finds them intolerable.

Well, that was the case until recently, but a certain goatee has been wheedling its way into her affections, insinuating itself in her thoughts. It's not that her mind is changing, she sees others and she still cringes, but not at this one, this one she thinks is kind of cute, kind of sexy. She finds herself staring at it, contemplating whether it would be soft under her touch or bristly, would the hair scratch or tickle if she were to kiss the lips it encloses. For the first time she wants to kiss a man who wears a goatee. Do you wear a goatee or do you just have one, she finds herself wondering. It doesn't really matter, all she knows is that this one she wants to feel, to know, to caress, all she knows is that on him a goatee is sexy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own ER. Okay, so here's part 2, as I said definitely M rated. I have to apologise because I was in the mood for some smut so I hope you are too! There's still potential for a third part to this but I haven't written it yet so we'll see. Review please!**

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She's sitting at one end of the couch arms wrapped around her legs, face leaning against her knees, he's at the other end, lounging, spreading out. There's a horror film on the television but she's not watching it, her gaze is on his face, his goatee to be exact. So carefully shaped, so well groomed, she has to grip her hands to stop herself from reaching out to touch it, to feel its texture, to run her fingers over it.

He senses her gaze on him, and he turns to look at her, laughter twinkling in his eyes 'What?'

She's embarrassed to be caught staring and returns her gaze to the screen 'nothing'

He's intrigued now and won't let it go 'Nuh uh, wrong answer, you were staring, why? See something you like?' His eyebrows rise in question, the twinkling only getting brighter.

She feels the colour rising up her face, he's so close to the truth but she can't let him know 'in your dreams Barnett' normally she'd hit him, but she's too far away this time so she gently kicks his thigh.

He grabs her foot before can draw it back 'every night Rasgotra, every night'

His voice is huskier now, and she raises her eyes to meet his, they're still twinkling but there's something else there as well. His thumb is gently brushing her anklebone, and just that gentlest of touches is sending tingles through her body. Their eye contact never breaks as his thumb inches slowly up her calf, gently caressing the skin under it on its journey upwards. His eyes are seeking permission to continue, and she nods her head slightly, granting it.

She finds herself involuntarily straightening the leg he's touching, allowing him greater access to her skin. She can't believe that such a gentle caress can be so erotic, nor that it could be responsible for the warmth pooling in her stomach, nor that her desire for him is increasing with every centimetre of skin he covers, but it is and it does. As his thumb reaches the sensitive skin at the back of her knee she can't hold back the moan that escapes.

She can see the desire she feels reflected in his eyes and knows she's not the only one feeling like this. Her other leg slips of the couch as he moves to allow himself better access. His finger replaces his thumb as it continues its journey up her thigh alternating between the lightest tickling sensation of a nail and the caressing softness of a fingertip. The rising and falling of her chest increases rapidly as he edges her skirt up, his finger nearing where she needs to feel it most.

'Ray' his name is torn from her mouth in a moan as his finger brushes across her panties and she raise her hips to his touch. Her eyes which had just flickered shut spring open when she feels his touch withdraw.

She sees that he's moving off the couch to crouch in front of her, lifting her leg to his mouth, once again caressing her ankle, this time with his lips. He repeats the journey his thumb has made, kissing and nipping the skin of her calf, the hairs of his goatee adding to the sensations coursing through her body. When he reaches the back of her knee, his tongue darts out to taste the skin.

'Oh God Ray' this time she doesn't try to stifle the cry, her hands reaching out to entwine themselves in his hair, needing to touch him, needing to feel him. His tongue lingers there, kissing and caressing; his facial hair tickling, teasing, and tantalising her as she feels her insides turn to liquid. When she moans again he momentarily raises his eyes to hers, heavy, dark, intense eyes, that reflect everything she's feeling.

With his tongue and his lips he continues his journey up her thigh, tasting the skin that he finds. As his lips reach the place where she needs them the most, she feels his fingers push aside her panties and his tongue darts inside her. She feels every muscle in her body tighten, her grip on his hair tightening, holding him closer as the waves of pleasure start to wash over her as he teases her. It's the tantalising bristle of his goatee on her inner thighs that finally sends her over the edge, his name on her lips, as she feels herself implode around him. She can't deny that facial hair has its purpose.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own ER. Third and final part of Musings on Facial Hair, hope you enjoy.

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**His breath is as heavy as hers as he watches the spasms rack her body, her eyes shutting as the feeling overwhelms her. He's desperate to feel her lips under his, to feel her body against hers. As her breathing starts to steady he moves up covering her body with his, feeling the rapid beat of her heart against his chest and finally, finally covers her lips with his own.

It starts slow, just lips on lips, until he dares to dart his tongue out, exploring the contours of her mouth. Her tongue joins his and they dance a crazy, exhausting dance whilst his hands roam for the bottom of her tank top, aching to feel the skin underneath. The glimpses she's allowed him in the past never conveying the softness that he can now feel under his fingers.

A coolness hits his back as she pulls his t-shirt up, her fingers stroking down the length of his back, a shiver going right through him, does she realise what's she's doing to him? He loses his train of thought as she leans up and takes his earlobe between her lips, sucking and licking, probing the spot behind his ear with her tongue.

'Oh God, Neela' the moan escapes as her tongue continues its ministrations, increasing his need for her. He pushes up her tank top, and she arches against him as he pulls it over her head, briefly breaking the connection of their bodies, before he throws it away. He looks at her, lying there, her eyes like molten lava and she takes advantage of his change in position and removes his t-shirt as well.

He wants to taste the skin at her collarbone, follow it down to her breast, trace his tongue around her nipple, but she's beaten him to it. Her tongue's flicking his nipple, he feels it bead against it, tracing patterns across his chest, whilst her fingers hunt out the button on his jeans. He's in agony as she tries to undo it; the jeans are new, the denim still stiff, and her attempts are like torture. He pulls away, standing, flicking the button undone with ease. She reaches behind her to unfasten her bra, but he moves quickly, leaning down to kiss her shoulder, teasing her neck as, with practised fingers, he frees the clasp. He lowers the straps, his lips following their path down her arms as her hands find their way back to his jeans, and she slowly, tantalisingly frees the remaining buttons. Each movement of her fingers brushes his length, and he can't deny the groans that tear themselves from his chest, especially not when her hand wanders inside his boxers.

He stills himself for a minute, trying to calm his breathing, before pulling her hand away 'not like this' he feels the murmur leave his lips before he crushes them down on hers again. Their hands are moving, eager to learn, to touch, to feel, the barriers of clothing almost gone.

The edge of her panties is under his fingers and he eases them down her smooth, supple thighs, tracing kisses down her body as he moves lower. Her hands are on the top of his boxers and they soon join the rest of their clothes on the floor.

He stares down at her, taking her all in, her beauty, the emotions shining in her eyes, the emotions he knows are reflected in his. This time when he reaches down to capture her lips its slower, less frantic, he's trying to convey that this isn't just lust he feels, its something more. Their eyes remain locked on each other as he slowly eases inside her. He wants to take this slow, to make it last, to give her everything he can give, but as he slides in she bucks her hips against him and he knows he won't be able to last that long.

Their bodies fall into rhythm with each other, he hears her breathlessly pant his name and knows that's enough to send him over the edge, and when he feels her finger nails dig into his back, trailing over his skin he loses his last scrap of control. His mouth is on hers again, their tongues frantically duelling, as he feels himself explode inside her at the same moment as he feels the spasms overpower her body.

Their hearts are racing as one as he collapses against her, his head buried against her neck as he lightly kisses the sensitive skin there. She reaches a hand up and gently strokes his cheek, her fingers skimming the edge of his goatee 'I was just wondering how it would feel' he hears her murmur as his eyes flicker shut at her touch, a smile lingering on his face.

'How what would feel?' he drags the blanket of the back of the couch and wraps it around them both, pulling her closer.

'This' her fingers are still lingering around his mouth, and he leans forward and slowly takes one between his lips, sucking on it, running his tongue down it.

'And? Was it how you expected?' he watches as the colour rises up her cheeks again, and she buries her face against his chest, before pulling back again.

'So much more' she smiles up at him, and he thinks that if you could die of happiness, he'd be dead by now.

The words he's been longing to say for so long slip from his lips 'God, I love you' he's as surprised as she is that he's said it, and he holds his breath waiting for her to respond.

As her mouth opens to respond there's a knock at the door. He ignores it, this is far too important to interrupt, but whoever's there doesn't understand that, and starts pounding on it. He gazes down at her before untangling himself from her and pulling on his jeans, his eyes trying to convey that they're not finished.

He opens the door slightly to find Brett standing in the hall 'Hey dude, where've you been?' his eyes widen has he takes in Ray's state of undress and a look of confusion crosses his face 'you got company?'

Ray shoves his hands in his pockets; his thumbs loop through his belt loops and he looks down, grinning bashfully 'yeah'

He starts to back away down the corridor 'okay, I'll just go then, thought you said to come over, that you and Dr Neela were just grabbing a movie' he watches as Ray's cheeks turn red 'oh, OH, I get it, I'll leave you to it then, catch you later Dr Neela' the last shouted through the door, and then he's gone.

He's laughing as he turns from the door to see her standing in front of him, wrapped in the blanket. She steps closer placing a hand on his chest, looking him in the eye 'I love you too'

He pulls her closer still, the blanket unravelling around her, their lips meeting again, and moves her gently back to the couch to continue where they left off.


End file.
